Untreated mental health disorders can be a serious problem for women and their children during pregnancy and after giving birth, during the postpartum period. A recent analysis funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and published in Psychiatric Research & Clinical Practice notes that few studies have examined the benefits of medications for mental health disorders in pregnant and postpartum women. And while many studies have reported on potential harms, the large majority could not separate the effect of medications from the effect of the underlying disorder. As a result, it is not clear that these medications caused harms to pregnant or postpartum women.

A total of 164 studies were included in the analysis. Study results indicate that brexanolone and sertraline likely lessen depressive symptoms, and mood stabilizers may reduce recurrence of bipolar disorder.

'It's vital for patients and providers to make informed decisions during pregnancy and postpartum, and our study shows a need for more and higher quality research in regards to mental health treatments,' said Meera Viswanathan PhD, of the AHRQ Evidence-based Practice Center at RTI International - University of North Carolina.

Additional Information

Link to Study: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1176/appi.prcp.20210001

About Journal

Psychiatric Research and Clinical Practice (PRCP) is a new peer-reviewed, open-access journal from the American Psychiatric Association that offers a high-profile publishing destination for submissions that build upon the psychiatric knowledge base and bring research findings closer to clinical utility through deeper investigation.

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Wiley drives the world forward with research and education. Through publishing, platforms and services, we help students, researchers, universities, and corporations to achieve their goals in an ever-changing world. For more than 200 years, we have delivered consistent performance to all of our stakeholders. The Company's website can be accessed at www.wiley.com.

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John Wiley & Sons Inc. published this content on 05 May 2021 and is solely responsible for the information contained therein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 05 May 2021 05:08:01 UTC.